June 13, 2024

Manchin, Colleagues Introduce Bipartisan Mandatory E-Verify Act

Washington, DC – Today, U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (I-WV) introduced the Mandatory E-Verify Act of 2024. This bipartisan legislation would require all employers to use the federal electronic E-Verify system to confirm the employment eligibility of their workforce.

“I’m proud to introduce the Mandatory E-Verify Act of 2024 to ensure businesses of all sizes are hiring legal workers,” said Senator Manchin. “Along with the E-Verify mandate, our bipartisan legislation would increase penalties for businesses that intentionally avoid E-Verify and hire unauthorized labor. Expanding E-Verify was a key component of the 2013 bipartisan immigration deal that passed the Senate and was our biggest opportunity to comprehensively fix our broken immigration system. I will continue to support all components of that compromise – including E-Verify, stronger border security, and expanded pathways for legal immigration.”

Senator Manchin was joined by Senators Mitt Romney (R-UT), Tom Cotton (R-AR), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), James Lankford (R-OK), and JD Vance (R-OH).

The Mandatory E-Verify Act of 2024 would:

  • Mandate E-Verify for all employers, phasing in implementation over 18 months to allow small businesses to comply;
  • Raise civil criminal penalties on employers that hire unauthorized aliens and/or violate I-9 paperwork requirements; and
  • Prevent fraud by requiring workers 18 and older to provide a photo ID to their employer for verification, which will be cross-referenced if a photo is available through the E-Verify system.

The full text of the legislation is available here.